forrer



' March 12, 1935. Q URR R 1,994,272

TICKET DISPENSING MEANS Filed March 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 7 g 2/ 3 I2 25 9 7 l5 6 0 0 Z J l r o 2 I 0 ,l 35 I9 14 I: l 2 4 g 5 ll Z5 Z2 30 Z7 Z9 26 6 24 5 r 7 a 2/ r 25 9 6 I 1 a I8 i m 25 ,8

INVENTORv arZ F'zrrer Patented Mar. 12, 1935 uNirEo STATES h V TICKET DISPENSING MEANS v I Carl Fiirrer. Zug, Switzerland, assignor to Landis & Gyr, A. G., of Switzerland Zug, Switzerland, a corporation Application March 23.1933, Serial No; 662,216

In Switzerland March29, 1932 6 Claims. (01. 312-71) The invention relates to a novel. and useful mechanism for storing and dispensing tickets or the like,.and especially strips of tickets or other vouchers such as postage stamps, admission cards 5. and the like.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in partfhereinafter and in part will beobvious here from, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and" combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consistsin the novel. parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and im.-

provements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and-constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. i I

Of the drawings:

. Fig; 1 shows fragmentary vertical elevation,

with parts broken away, a preferred embodiment of the invention; h Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line II II ofFigl; V Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on line III--III 6]": Fig.2;

Figs. 4, 6 and 8 are enlarged fragmentary views of the essential mechanismshown in Fig. l;

5 is a composite vertical section, the righthand portion thereof being taken on line Ver -Va of Fig.4 and the lefthand portion thereof taken on line Vb--Vb of Fig. 4;

'Fig. '7 is a composite view,.the righthand porthan being a section on line VII--VII ofFig. 6 and the lefth'and portion a front elevation of Fig. 6;. Fig. 9 is a View similar to Fig. 7 taken onFig. 8; and I f 40 Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a tool for recharging the ticket magazine. 5 The invention provides novel anduseful means for storing stacks. of tickets or. the like in strip form and for permitting recharging of the stor- 45 agespace with afresh charge of tickets prior to the exhaustion pf the original charge, the recharging operationbeing effected without interruption of the dispensing from the original stack. More specifically; the. invention. provides a novel 50 construction whereby an" original stack or charge of tickets, which has become partially depleted, may be maintained in dispensing position while afresh charge is'inserted into themechanisrn. The novel features of the invention permit the g5 maintenance of an adequate reserve supplycf tickets at all times; Furthermore, the invention I provides means for indicating. when, the original charge of tickets has become. depleted to a predetermined point, thereby insuring that a fresh supply will be. providedbefore exhaustion of the 5 original supply. A

The present preferred embodiment of the. in: vention comprises broadly. a spring controlled platform for supporting apile or stack/of. tickets.

said platform to permit recharging thereof. with a fresh stack of tickets.before exhaustion of the original stack. Said control means areadapted to coact with means for affording auxiliary support tethe original stack of I have become depleted to the predetermined point, thereby permitting lowering of the platform and recharging thereof, whilethe original and partially depleted stack is maintained without interruption in theposition for'dispensing of its Q tickets. Means for indicating when vthe original stack has reached the predetermined stage of depletion are provided forwarning the operator and for controlling the operation ofthe machine to insure a recharging thereof before the original 26 Meansareprovided for actuating andcontrolling 1Q supply of tickets is completely exhausted.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following-detailed description as well are illustrative and exemplary of thinvention, but are not restrictive thereof. j 3Q Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying drawin s. the ticket delivery machine 1 is relatively narrow, tall and deep and is provided with a delivery actuating segment 2 having suitable finger holes forfactuating same; *The tickets or vouchers are delivered through a slot 3 into a trough 4 at the front of the machine. The mechanism described is. not an'essential part of the invention and one 40 illustrative embodiment thereof is more fully disclosed in my co-p'ending application S. N. 662,215,

executed and filed as'of even date herewith. In

the lower part of .the machine 1 is provided the magazine containingthemeehanism embodying the present invention.

' The embodied means for supporting and feeding the stacks of tickets or. vouchers in the magazine comprises'a frame 5, which is of U-shape in cross-section and'which is fixed to the base plate 6' of 'theapparatus. Inthis frame 5 at the' top near to the two ends thereof there are mounted guide rollers 7, about the shafts of which there are pivotally mounted oscillatory arms 9 bearing further guide rollers 8. The guideroller's 8, when 5 tickets when same 15 the magazine is empty, rest on a plate or platform 10, which plate 10 is guided in the frame 5 and when the magazine is empty is pressed upwards under the action of a spring 11 and rests against the guide rollers '7. The plate 10 in the middle of its length has two laterally projecting pins or arms 12, by means 'of which it is guided in vertical slots 13 in the frame 5.

In accordance with the invention means are provided for aifording auxiliary support to the original stack of tickets which normally rest on the platform 10, said auxiliary support being given when the plate 10 is depressed to receive a fresh charge of tickets. u l

As embodied, on the side walls of the frame 5 there are pivotally connected by 18 flaps 19, which have bent parts 20 and also guide tracks 21, and are acted upon by springs 22. The bent parts 20-can be caused to project into the interior of the frame 5 through slots 23 in the side walls of said frame; I

In accordance with the invention, manual means are provided for actuating the movement of plate 10 to permit. recharging thereof and for coordinately effecting the temporary auxiliary support for the originalstack of tickets, as hereinbefore referred to. Said: actuating and control means comprise a slide 24' which surrounds the frame 5 and is provided with guideways 25. These guideways lie near thefiaps 19 and keep the pins or arms 12 retained'in a track 26, 2'7, 28. In this arrangement 26 forms an inclined track, which is closedby means of a springcontrolled tongue 29 towards the part2! of the track that extends horizontally near to the base of the slide 24. The part 28 of the track extends vertically and is bounded inwards in the direction of the plane of the guideway 25 by an inner piecev 30, which also bounds in an inward direction the part 27 of the track, bearsthe tongue 29 and is itself held by a cross-piece 31 on the guideway 25. g

If the slide24 is pushed fully into the apparatus (Figs. 1, 2, 3,8 and 9) the slots 13 of the frame 5 are covered by the vertical part 28 of the track and the plate 10, when as already mentioned the magazine is empty, is in itshighest position resting against the guide rollers 7. In this position the flaps 19 under the action of their springs 22 rest from the inside against the guideways 25 and their bent parts20 do not project into the frame 5. The pins'or arms12 stand at the top of the slots 13, or at the highest point of the track 26, 27;, 28 and the tongues 29 close the inclined track 26. 1

In Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings it is assumed that there is still remaining in the magazine a part of a piled voucher strip, in which pile it is to be assumed that the strip is arranged in zigzag form. This residual part of-the pile is pressed by means of the plate 10 against the guide rollers '7 and the guide rollers 8 in the delivery of the tickets or other vouchers by the movement of the segment 2. Said rollers guide (not shown in the drawings) thepart of the strip whichis be ing'released from the pile to theactual delivery mechanism (not shown).

If a supplementary'pile is to be introduced into the magazine, a flap 32 of 'the voucher delivery apparatus, which normally shuts off the magazine from the outside is raised and the slide 24 is moved in the direction of this flap, i. e., towards the left with referenceto Figs. 1, 2, .4, 6 and 8 of thedrawings, In this movement the plate 10 is moved downwards, since the inclined means of hinges (Figs. 4 and '5) and tracks 26 of the guideways 25 press downwards the pins or arms '12 sliding in the slots 13. Be-

fore the plate 10 has been depressed to the height of the bent parts 20, the guideways 25 strike' against the guide tracks 21 and thereby move the flaps 19 against the action of the springs 22 towards the frame 5, so that the bent parts 20 pass'through the slots 23 into the interior of the frame 5. When the plate 10' has passed these bent parts, the latter engage beneath the remaining part of the pile, i. e. they release it from the plate and the latter moves'on downwards alone, until it comes into its lowermost position at the end of this stroke of the slide. Shortly before reaching thisposition the pins or arms 12 have caused the tongues 29 to move outwards tion the tongues 29 snap back into position.

There is now between the plate 10 and the remaining part of free space to enable a their normal into the magazine. For this purpose there is preferably employed a clip 33 formed from a flat spring which, as shown in Fig. 10, surrounds the supplementary pile 34 the pile a sufliciently large:

fresh pile to beintroducedand is introduced there-' with into the said free space of the magazine, in,

on reaching their end posiorder after the release of the'pile 34 to be with-- drawn alone from the magazine.

In order to permit delivery of the tickets or vouchers without liability of'interruption, it, is

necessary that the remaining part of the pile be suitably connected to the supplementary pile,

which iseffected by sticking together the two ends of these piles which are turned towards one another. This manipulation is preferably ef fected before the introduction of the supplementary pile, and the ends of the pile must be corre- V spondingly formed.

What has been said with respect to the iintroduction of the supplementary pile, and also'the means serving therefor and with respect-to the connection of the piles with one another, does not belong to the invention proper and is only given here to enable the methodin which the magazine is used to be better understood.

After the supplementary pile has been introduced into the magazine, the slide 24. is moved in the other direction, 1. e. towards the right. In this motion the pins or arms 12 controlled by the tongues 29, pass into the horizontal part 27] of the track (Figs. 6 and '7) and before reachir'igv the end position .of the slide the guideways 25 free the guide tracks 21,, so that the'fiaps 19 are oscillated by the springs 22 and their .bent parts 20, passing out of the frame 5, themselves release the remaining part of When the slide comes into its end position, the vertical parts 28 0f the tracks register withthe slots 13 and the spring 11 presses the plate 10 the pile, so that the two piles come into contact with one another. 7

upwards, so that the whole pile is pressed against the guide rollers 7 (Figs. 8 and 9) The sticking together of the end of the residual part of the pile'with that of the supplementary part of the pile may be advantageously effected when the plate 101s in an elevated position, which corresponds approximately to the thickness of the supplementary pile. In order to fix this position,

which must lie below the place where the reside ual part of the pile is released from the plate 10, a stop or rest35 can be provided in the inclined track 26.

The inner pieces 30 are of such dimensions, by sliding in the verthat the pins or arms 12 tical part 28 of the track hold the slide 24 securely against movement, until the consumption of the piled tickets or vouchers has progressed so far that there is space in the magazine for making up the reserve by a new pile.

In accordance with the invention, means are provided for indicating when the original stack of vouchers has been depleted to the predetermined extent. As embodied, the plate at its rear or righthand side has an extension 14 by means of which it coacts with a feeler 15. This feeler 15 is connected through a link 16 with a hook 1'7 and a press knob 18,'which hook 17 is capable of being brought into operative connection with the segment 2.

When the reserve of tickets or vouchers piled up in the magazine approaches its end, the extension 14 of the plate 10 raises the feelers 15, whereby by means of the rod 16 the hook 17 is caused to'engage behind a projection 36 on the segment 2 and to lock the latter against being moved to deliver tickets or'vouchers. By pressing the knob 18 this detent can be momentarily released, so that a single further delivery of tickets or vouchers is possible, yet by reason of this interruption theperson using the apparatus is rendered aware of the necessity for renewing the pile. When the pile is renewed this detent comes automatically out of action.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the pr nciples of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages. W

What I claim is:

1. A ticket delivery mechanism including in combination a platform for supporting a stack of tickets or the like, means for delivering'tickets sequentially from the stack and means for receiving a fresh charge of tickets when the original stack has been partially depleted comprising means for depressing the platform to permit insertion of a fresh charge of tickets and means actuated thereby for affording temporary support to the partially depleted stack while the platform is depressed.

2. A ticket delivery mechanism including in combination a spring-urged platform for supporting a stack of tickets or the like, means for delivering tickets sequentially from the stack and means for receiving a fresh charge of tickets when the original stack has been partially depleted comprising a manually-actuated, reciprocable carriage for depressing the platform to permit insertion of a fresh charge of tickets and means actuated thereby for affording temporary support to the partially depleted stack while the platform is depressed.

3. A ticket delivery mechanism including in combination a spring-urged platform for supporting a stack of tickets or the like, means for delivering tickets sequentially from the stack and means for receiving a fresh charge of tickets when the original stack has been partially depleted comprising a reciprocable member having cam means for depressing the platform to permit insertion of a fresh charge of tickets and means actuated thereby for affording temporary support to the partially depleted stack'while the platform is depressed.

4. A ticket delivery mechanism including in combination a spring-urged platform for supporting a stack of tickets or the like, means for delivering tickets sequentially from the stack and means for receiving a fresh charge of tickets when the original stack has been partially depleted comprising a reciprocable member adapted on one motion to retract the platform and concurrently provide auxiliary support for-the origi nal stack and on its return motion to bring a fresh charge of tickets against the original stack.

5. A ticket delivery mechanism including in combination means for supporting a stack of tickets or the like, means for delivering tickets from. said stack and means for receiving a fresh charge of tickets when the original stack has been partially depleted comprising means for moving the stack supporting means to receive a fresh charge and means cooperating therewith to afford auxiliary support to the partially depleted stack when the normal supporting means has been removed, and means for preventing further delivery from the original stack when a pre determined point of depletion has been reached.

6. A ticket delivery mechanism including in combination means for supporting a stack of tickets or the like, means for delivering tickets from said stack and means for receiving a fresh charge of tickets. when the original stackv has been partially depleted comprising means for moving thestack supporting means to receive a fresh charge and means cooperating therewith to afford auxiliary support to the partially depleted stack when the normal supporting means has been removed and means for preventing further delivery from the original stack when a predetermined point of depletion has been reached, said means being momentarily releasable by hand to permit a further delivery.

CARL FiiRRER. 

